The protest by JPSC-JSSC aspirants in Ranchi entered its 22nd day on Saturday, with student leaders escalating their agitation and issuing an ultimatum to the Jharkhand government over alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations.
The protesters are demanding the cancellation of the JSSC-CGL and JPSC 11th–13th examinations, along with an independent probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a panel of retired judges from outside Jharkhand.
At the protest site, student leader Ravindra Paswan said the demonstrators would move beyond peaceful protests if their demands were not addressed. He said the protesters had “had enough of Gandhian methods and peaceful protests” and invoked Bhagat Singh while announcing a more aggressive phase
of the agitation.
#WATCH | JPSC-JSSC aspirants’ protest | Ranchi, Jharkhand: Student leader Ravindra Paswan says, “Today, we are changing the course of our movement. We have had enough of Gandhian methods and peaceful protests. They simply aren’t listening. We are now going to adopt the path of… pic.twitter.com/PZYYTVLqC0
— ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2026
Paswan gave the government the time until August 18 to meet the protesters’ demands, including cancellation of the JSSC results, scrapping of examinations conducted through the TDPL agency and a CBI inquiry into the alleged irregularities.
He warned that if the demands were not met, “lakhs of students and youths” would march towards the Chief Minister’s residence on August 20.
Another student leader, Piyush Kumar, said protesters would begin burning effigies at district headquarters across Jharkhand from Sunday. He said effigies of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and parties supporting the government would be targeted.
Kumar also referred to the planned August 20 Assembly gherao, saying the earlier protest at the Vidhan Sabha was only a “preview” of what was to come.
The agitation has also drawn attention to the condition of JLKM leader Devendra Mahto, who has reportedly been on a hunger strike for 14 days. Mahto alleged that police prevented him from leaving Sadar Hospital to participate in the protest march.
Videos purportedly showing Mahto in a scuffle with security personnel while attempting to leave the hospital have circulated widely on social media. The circumstances surrounding the incident could not be independently verified.
The protesters maintain that their movement goes beyond individual recruitment examinations and is aimed at ensuring equal opportunities for young people and restoring confidence in Jharkhand’s recruitment system.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Hemant Soren, in his Independence Day address, acknowledged concerns surrounding recruitment examinations and said the issue had shaken the trust of an entire generation.
Soren assured students that allegations of irregularities would be investigated impartially and that anyone found guilty would face strict legal action, regardless of their influence or position.
At the same time, he cautioned against declaring anyone guilty without evidence, stressing that action must be based on facts.
“Merely apprehending the guilty is not the solution,” Soren said, emphasising the need for systemic reforms to prevent manipulation of examinations in the future.
The Chief Minister outlined several proposed measures, including a time-bound annual examination calendar, technology-secured examinations, timely publication of answer keys and OMR sheets, and multi-level accountability in the recruitment process.
The Jharkhand government has also launched the “Students’ Voice with Students” campaign to seek suggestions from students, teachers, educationists and parents on reforms to the examination system.
With the protesters now setting their sights on August 20, the JPSC-JSSC recruitment controversy is expected to remain a major political and student issue in Jharkhand in the coming days.
